Intermittently repeating alarm mechanism

ABSTRACT

A spring wound alarm clock, an alarm mechanism which permits an intermittent sounding of the alarm. Such mechanism comprises a star wheel which causes the alarm clapper to repeatedly oscillate and strike the bell surface to sound the alarm. In keeping with the present invention, at least one tooth of the star wheel is deformed from the others and serves to arrest the clapper and thereby silence the alarm after a very brief alarm-sounding period; not more than a single revolution of the star wheel. Following about two minutes of silence, a continuously rotating cam wheel which is in engagement with a projection on the clapper member effectively removes the clapper from the star wheel arresting position and thereby frees the mechanism for a second brief alarm-sounding period. The above intermittent alarm sequence of very brief alarm-sounding will continue up to approximately 50 minutes, or until the alarm mechanism is manually disabled.

United States Patent 1 Cielaszyk INTERMITTENTLY REPEATING ALARMMECHANISM 75 Inventor: Edward F. Cielaszyk, Oglesby, ll].

[73] Assignee: General Time Corporation, Mesa,

Ariz.

22 Filed: April 5, 1972 21 Appl. No.2 241,285

52 us. c|. ..5s/1s [51] Int. Cl. ..G04b 23/10 [58] Field of Search..58/l8, 21.12 p

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,930 5/1910 Kern .l..58/l8 1,623,698 4/1927 Porter 2,979,885 4/1969 Jaccard 3,533,22710/1970 Jaccard ..58/18 x Primary Examiner-Richard B. WilkinsonAssistant ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin Attorney-Deans. Edmonds et al.

1451 Feb. 13, 1973 5 7 ABSTRACT A spring wound alarm clock, an alarmmechanism which permits an intermittent sounding of the alarm. Suchmechanism comprises a star wheel which causes the alarm clapper torepeatedly oscillate and-strike the bell surface to sound the alarm. Inkeeping with the present invention, at least one tooth of the star wheelis deformed from the others and serves to arrest the clapper and therebysilence the alarm after a very brief alarm-sounding period; not morethan a single revolution of the star wheel. Following about two minutesof silence, a continuously rotating cam wheel which is invengagementwith a projection on the clapper member effectively removes the clapperfrom the star wheel arresting position and thereby frees the mechanismfor a second brief alarm-sounding period. The above intermittent alarmsequence of very brief alarm-sounding will continue up to approximately50 minutes, or until the alarm mechanism is manually disabled.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 INTERMI'ITENTLY. REPEATING ALARM MECHANISMBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Clock manufacturers for many years have beenmarketing alarm interrupting mechanisms whereby at alarm time, thesounding of the alarm is temporarily arrested to permit the user to gainan additional amount of sleep, or drowse, fora selected interval oftime. Following such interval, the alarm would then resume sounding andcontinue to do so unless a second drowse period was manually selected orthe alarm was manually shut off. Other known drowse mechanisms, such asthat shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,603, which is assigned to'the sameassignee as is the present invention, operate automatically. The alarmmechanism of the above-noted patent is programmed for a short initialringing, then silenced. After a delay, a sustained ringingwill occur.The automatic delay feature uses a two-step drop off for the alarminstituting means. The first step permits only a short alarm, the secondstep sets off the sustained alarm. The present invention relates toautomatic alarm interrupting mechanism but is not, in reality, a drowsebut rather an automatic alarm interrupter and thereby a gentle awakener.I

The principle featureof this invention is a repeated and very briefalarm-sounding mechanism which gently nudges the user out of a soundsleep and slowly bring on the awareness that the sleep period is at anend.

The mode of gentle awakening is a distinct improvement over theheretofore rude and harsh spring-wound alarm which continuously soundsuntil the spring runs down or the alarm mechanism is manually disabled.

. The mechanism is quite simple in operation and fabrication. The alarmclock model embodying this invention has been commercially accepted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A spring wound alarm clock having a novelintermittent alarm-sounding mechanism coupled with the unique timingmechanism that periodically enables the alarm-sounding apparatus shortlyafter it has been disabled. When the alarm is set for actuation andalarm time arrives, the spring driven star wheel rotates and oscillatesthe alarm clapper which is in engagement with said wheel. The clapperhas a tab formed laterally therefrom that engages with the spaced teethof the star wheel whereby during rotation of the star wheel, the alarmis sounded. At least one of the teeth of the wheel is cut back ormutilated. At alarm time, the star wheel is liberated for rotation byits drive spring at approximately one revolution per two seconds. Thisrepresents the duration that the alarm is sounded as the mutilated ordeformed tooth of the wheel-is rotated to engaging position with thelaterally displaced tab of the clapper. The star wheel and clappertherewith are thereby arrested. These members would remain arrested andthe alarm silenced exceptfor the provision of the timing cam whichengages a laterally extended pin fixed in the alarm clapper. The cam iseffective to elevate the pin and therefore the clapper and tab thereonout of arrested position whereupon the star wheel takes off for another2 second cycle to briefly sound the alarm, after which it is againarrested as described above. The arresting and liberating sequence willcontinue for approximately 50 minutes or until the alarm mechanism ismanually disabled.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS cycle and with the alarm soundingmechanism at the point of liberation by the control cam;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the arresting tooth of thealarm star wheel in engagement with the tab of the alarm clapper; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the alarm sounding mechanism in themanually set off position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawingsthere is disclosed an alarm sounding drive train embodied in a clock ofthe spring wound type that is well known by those skilled in the art.Consequently, only a portion of the movement is shown.

For sounding the alarm, an alarm drive train is provided having a drivengear which is connected to the end of the drive spring 12. Driven gear10 meshes with a pinion 14 mounted on a shaft 16 carried by a star wheel18. Mounted oscillatory movement adjacent the star wheel is a clapper 20having tabs 22 and 24 which are alternately impulsed by uniform starwheel teeth 26. The upper or hammer end 27 of the clapper is arranged toengage the inner surface of a bell 28 for alarm sounding during clapperoscillation. For the purpose of normally blocking the clapper acustomary release member 30, partially shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 issituated to engage a stop 32 on the clapper 20 during alarm off periods.

A shaft 34 is madefast to clapper 20 and arranged for slidable movementbetween the plates of the clock movement. Shaft 34 extends to the rearof the timepiece (as best seen in FIG. 5) and has a handpiece 36 fixedthereto. Manual withdrawal of handpiece 36 conditions the alarm soundingmechanism. The release member is coupled for response to a conditionwhereby registration between the usual hour wheel and index wheel (notshown) takes place when the pre-set alarm time is reached, the releasemember 30 frees the clapper 20 for oscillation by the uniform star wheelteeth 26 and thus sounding of the alarm ensues. For a more detaileddiscussion of this mechanism, reference is made to applicants U.S. Pat.No. 3,382,664 dated May 14, 1968 which is assigned to the same assigneeas is the present invention.

In carrying out the present invention, means are provided forinterrupting the alarm sounding mechanism after said mechanism has beenenabled for a short period, namely one cycle of the star wheel 18 and,following a brief silent interval, enabling it again. Accordinglynon-uniform special teeth 38 and are formed to permit free entry of tab'22 therebetween and thereafter be arrested by advancing non-uniform ormutilated tooth 38 to thereby lock clapper 20 against furtheroscillation and thus silence the alarm. Such position of tab 22 andtooth 38 in locking engagement therewith is shown in FIG. 4.

More specifically, when the alarm goes off, star wheel 18 is rapidlyrotated clockwise in FIG. 1 by drive spring 12 whereupon the uniformteeth 26 cause the upper portion or hammer 27 of clapper to strike bell28 for an alarm sounding of approximately two seconds. That is, one fullrevolution of the star wheel from FIG. 1 where it is just taking off tothe FIG. 2 position which is immediately before the ensuing arrestingaction of tab 22 engaging mutilated tooth 38 takes place (FIG. 4). Thealarm sounding mechanism is thus rendered inactive or delayed for aperiod of time and then activated for a subsequent short alarm cycle ina manner now to be described. 7

In accordance with a principlefeature of the invention a four-lobed cam42 is provided and said cam is rotated by the clock gear trainapproximately one revolution every 8 minutes to periodically liberatethe alarm clapper during an alarm sounding sequence by means of pin 4.4fixed in clapper 20, described more in detail hereinafter.

The usual timing train of the clock includes a main gear '48 which isalso connected in a well-known manner to the drive spring 12. The maingear meshes with a pinion 50 coupled to a minute wheel 52. Meshing withminute wheel 52 is a first intermediate pinion 54 (FIG. 5) that is fastwith a stud member 56 which serves as a mount for a control cam assembly58 which includes a four-lobed control cam 42 loosely mounted onstudmember 56 and urged in a clockwise direction,

as seen in FIGS. l3, by a coil spring 62. One end of spring 62 isanchored in a collet 64 fast with stud member 56, see particularly FIG.5. The opposite end of spring 62 is entered into a perforation providedin control cam 42 to effect a bias thereto in clockwise direction. InFIG. 1, spring 62 would be in tightly wound condition. With sucharrangement, control cam 42 is yieldably mounted on stud 56 but rotatestherewith at approximately one revolution every 8 minutes.

At alarm time, release member 30 is withdrawn from the position shown inFIG. 5 thereby liberating clapper 20 and star wheel 18 whereupon uniformteeth 26 oscillate clapper 20 by means of alternately engaging tabs 22and 24 and thus sound the alarm. After about a 2 second ring, the starwheel rotates from the FIG. 1 to the FIG. 2 position wherein pawl 22 isabout to be engaged by special or lock tooth 38. In FIG. 4 it can beseen that an angle surface 66 of tooth 38 is so cut as to grippinglyengage tab 22 and positively lock in the star wheel 18 despite thestrong bias thereon exerted by drive spring 12.

In the meantime, pin 44 on clapper 20 lowers to engage cam surface 68 oncontrol cam 42 and slightly uncoils spring 62 by rotating cam 42 backagainst its normal direction of rotation. The alarm is now silenced andremains so for approximately 2 minutes while control cam is rotated withspring slightly uncoiled from the FIG. 2 to the HO. 3 position. Duringsaid 2 minutes of rotation, cam surface 68 elevates clapper 20 by meansof its engagement with pin 44 thereon and urges tab 22 upwardly alongthe angled surface 66 of tooth 38. As tab 22 is elevated beyond surface66, coil spring 62 snaps control cam a few degrees clockwise to positionthe succeeding lobe for the next alarm sequence and also positivelyextricate tab 22 from tooth 38. The FIG. 3 position shows the mechanismabove-described just as the tab 22 is escaping from tooth 38 and inaddition the control cam prior to being rotated a few degrees clockwiseby the action of spring 62 recoiling. The star wheel 18 and clapper 20now take off on a subsequent 2 second alarm sounding whereafter thealarm is again silenced in the above-described manner. The two secondson, 2 minutes off sequence will continue for approximately 50 minutesunless manually silenced during that time. Thus the sleeper is slowly,steadily and gently roused to awareness at alarm time in distinction tothe strident alarm or the well-known drowse where one is apt to berepeatedly and unpleasantly roused from a deep slumber.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clock having a gear train and an alarm mechanism, the latterhaving an alarm sounding and an alarm silenced condition, the alarmmechanism including a drive spring, a drive spring output pinion, a starwheel rotated by the output pinion, the star wheel having a plurality ofuniform teeth, trip means associated with the clapper for inactivatingsame, means for releasing the trip means and associated clapper topermit concurrent rotation of the star wheel and activation of theclapper, tabs on the clapper cooperating with the uniform teeth on thestar wheel to initiate an alarm sounding period during rotation of thestar wheel, the improvement comprising means to provide an intermittentalarm repeating mechanism wherein:

at least one non-uniform tooth on the star wheel effects arrest of theclapper and star wheel after a predetermined alarm sounding period, and

means rotated by the clock gear train liberates the clapper after apredetermined time interval to reactivate the clapper and star wheel fora subsequent predetermined alarm sounding period.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 in which the means rotated by theclock gear train includes a yieldably mounted cam member wherebyliberation of the clapper and star wheel is facilitated after thepredetermined time interval.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the yieldably mounted cam member ismultiple-lobed whereby each lobe serves to determine the time intervalthat the clapper and star wheel remain arrested.

4. The improvement as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

an extension forming part of the clapper adapted to engage the yieldablecam member during arrest of the clapper and star wheel wherebyliberation of the clapper during rotation of the cam member is effected.

1. In a clock having a gear train and an alarm mechanism, the latterhaving an alarm sounding and an alarm silenced condition, the alarmmechanism including a drive spring, a drive spring output pinion, a starwheel rotated by the output pinion, the star wheel having a plurality ofuniform teeth, trip means associated with the clapper for inactivatingsame, means for releasing the trip means and associated clapper topermit concurrent rotation of the star wheel and activation of theclapper, tabs on the clapper cooperating with the uniform teeth on thestar wheel to initiate an alarm sounding period during rotation of thestar wheel, the improvement comprising means to provide an intermittentalarm repeating mechanism wherein: at least one non-uniform tooth on thestar wheel effects arrest of the clapper and star wheel after apredetermined alarm sounding period, and means rotated by the clock geartrain liberates the clapper after a predetermined time interval toreactivate the clapper and star wheel for a subsequent predeterminedalarm sounding period.
 1. In a clock having a gear train and an alarmmechanism, the latter having an alarm sounding and an alarm silencedcondition, the alarm mechanism including a drive spring, a drive springoutput pinion, a star wheel rotated by the output pinion, the star wheelhaving a plurality of uniform teeth, trip means associated with theclapper for inactivating same, means for releasing the trip means andassociated clapper to permit concurrent rotation of the star wheel andactivation of the clapper, tabs on the clapper cooperating with theuniform teeth on the star wheel to initiate an alarm sounding periodduring rotation of the star wheel, the improvement comprising means toprovide an intermittent alarm repeating mechanism wherein: at least onenon-uniform tooth on the star wheel effects arrest of the clapper andstar wheel after a predetermined alarm sounding period, and meansrotated by the clock gear train liberates the clapper after apredetermined time interval to reactivate the clapper and star wheel fora subsequent predetermined alarm sounding period.
 2. The improvementdefined in claim 1 in which the means rotated by the clock gear trainincludes a yieldably mounted cam member whereby liberation of theclapper and star wheel is facilitated after the predetermined timeinterval.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the yieldably mounted cammember is multiple-lobed whereby each lobe serves to determine the timeinterval that the clapper and star wheel remain arrested.